IF Popular

Uh-Oh: Popular
Permanent Marker on 6x6 120# Smooth Bristol
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

I had the pleasure of gathering with the girlfriends for lunch today. One of the ladies related her latest adventure with her new-ish-ly adopted cats, 2 beautiful torties, and her beta fish. Yep, the kitties are fascinated with the fish and have been very creative in trying to "catch" a meal. Thus, the inspiration for this very quick sketch for Illustration Friday.

I know all of us can emphasize with this fish: feeling like the outside world is encroaching on our own private nook. What options do we have except to watch helplessly? It can be overwhelming and, sometimes, frightening.

Sometimes all we can do is what this little goldfish is doing: looking the threat in the eye and holding his head up, perhaps, preparing to go head-to-head with the imminent danger. Or, perhaps, getting ready to dive deeper into safety.

Whatever defenses we have to stave off personal disasters, the ability to rally, quietly or defiantly, is amazing. We do get through the crises to face another day. There is no right way or wrong way to muddle our way through these inevitable aspects of life. The only way is the way that works for us as individuals.

So, next time you feel like you're trapped in a goldfish bowl, trust your instincts. You'll be okay.

IF Suspense

Watercolor Paint on 4x6 Cold Press Paper
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

Illustration Friday's topic this week is "Suspense". This illustration may look more like "Peek-a-Boo", but it really represents suspense and mystery for me.

The suspense is, "How will my hair behave today?" and the mystery often is, "What did I do to make it look this good and how will I do it again?".

In my lifetime, I don't know that I've ever known a woman who's been consistently happy about her hair. This phenomenon can be demonstrated simply by wandering the hair care aisle in any store. Between the cleaning, conditioning and coloring products available to the sprays, styling gels and mousses, it takes an entire aisle to hold it all. And if you want a tool to curl your hair, you can choose from small, medium or large curls, spiral curls, crimped waves, etc. Straightening tools offer broad irons for longer needs and 1" or less irons for just a light, wispy effect. It's a great business in which to have stock! Go Conair!

I'm no different in regards to being dissatisfied with my hair. I have 3 things working against me: thin, wavy hair, allergies to stay-in hair products and, mostly, that I'm just plain lazy when it comes to working with it. I've had wonderful hair stylists do great cuts to no avail. It's too fickle to try to anticipate what momentous steps I'll have to take to tame it on any given day.

However, one advantage to age, or, preferably, aging with a certain amount of grace, is that it seems to matter less and less. I don't like the days when my hair goes completely and wildly bad, but the normal, mediocre days are fine.

Think I'll try to avoid the suspense and mystery and just let it go. I'd rather be doing a lot of other things with my time anyway!

TMC Hamlin Beach Park

Hamlin Beach Copse
Watercolor Paint 4x6 Cold Press 140# Paper
©2012 BEDeuel

Last autumn (October 2010), Mike took his camera out to try to capture some of the remaining foliage on the shores of nearby Lake Ontario. The last several years, he'd become accustomed to using a digital camera, but wanted to try this venture with his new-ish 35mm.

What he found difficult, after all these years with instant results, was figuring out if he'd gotten the shot he'd wanted. Despite having taken film photographs for decades prior, it was alien returning to the form.

He was disappointed with the results. The day was beautiful but the foliage color was on the dim side, which, in truth was the only problem I could find with his photos. The composition was still excellent, the subject beautiful.

My motivation for using this photo for a 20-minute painting was to demonstrate to him how well his composition translates to others.

Personally, I'm pleased with the piece. Just as I was with his original photograph.

Thanks, Twenty Minute Challenge for letting me share!

And the Winner Is....

You've caught me in an incredibly indecisive mood, ladies! I cannot decide who wins the Sweetheart Love in a Small Container Giveaway!

So, that being said, ALL 3 of you- Joanne, Chris and Carol, have won! 

Contact me at my email, bronsonhillarts@gmail.com, with information on where to send your prizes and if you prefer grapes or flowers, bud vases or candle holders! But, first to contact me gets first choice!

Thank you so much for participating in the giveaway. It's been wonderful reading about your love for your sweethearts and for life, too.

Have a fantastic Valentine's Day, ladies!

IF Forward

Koi
6x9 Water Color Paint, Acrylic Interference Paint & Water Soluble Pencil on 140# Watercolor Paper
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

The Illustration Friday topic this week is "Forward". This painting depicts so many moves forward it couldn't not be used for this week.

Late last year, I was "refreshing" the decor in my house; changing wall hangings, curtains, table dressings, knicknacks, etc. One of the things I had in mind for my bath was to find a round wallhanging of Koi to offset the larger, rectangular print I already had. Do you think I could find a Koi image that would work? No. Of course not. Next year, I'll be tripping over them in every store into which I walk. That's how it always works for me. You, too, probably!

In the meantime, though, I guess that means it's time to learn how to paint Koi. So here is the first step. Painting fish. Not really my area of interest, but, it's time to go, as the cliche says, outside my comfort zone. Moving forward.

Unfortunately, the second indication of moving forward doesn't translate with the image you're viewing here.

A while ago, a beautiful, dear friend of mine was cleaning out her overstock of painting supplies and was good enough to send me some acrylic interference paints. I'd never even heard of them, much less used them. The paints add gloss and sparkle over an image. The picture becomes almost reflective. Sadly, you'll just have to take my word for it, that it looks fantastic on this piece. A gold interference paint on the fish, red violet on the lily pads, and blue over the water.

A new media was incorporated over a familar one. Now I just need to figure how to get a  photographic shot that shows it!

And, lastly, the movement forward has nothing to do with me: it's just the Koi moving, well, forward!

Waiting for the Zen? Here it is: like Koi, we have to keep moving forward, my friends, or else, what's the point? You can stand still, but the view can become stagnant. You can look backwards and enjoy the memory, but you can't live your life with your head buried in the past. Yep. Forward is good.

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A reminder! Leave me a comment describing what you love about your sweetheart by tomorrow night! The best love song, if you will, wins! And, again, if you don't have a sweetheart, just let us know what you know love about Life!

The winner gets their choice of a handpainted bud vase or hurricane-style candle holder! See my previous post for the pictures of the bud vases!

Giveaway Time: Some Romance in a Small Container

These are small (about 2 1/2 " high) handpainted glass bud vases that I had a lot of fun making yesterday.

The thought hit me today that Valentine's Day is only a couple of weeks away. These really would make a lovely holder for a small, lovingly selected flower for your sweetheart!

Tomorrow I want to try to do some small hurricane glasses. Are you thinking a favorite scented candle, too?

I'd like to give one of these to one of my Fellow Fans of Life. Drop me a note that tells me what makes your loved one so wonderful by Sunday night, January 29th.

I'll start: the love of my life, my husband, has a heart as true as can be true. He's sincere in everything he does, be it work or love, family or friends!

I'm excited to hear what you have to say about your sweetheart! Let's have as much fun with this as I did in making these pieces!

IF Twirl: WhirlyGigs

Twirly-Whirly Gigs
Computer Graphic
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

When the new IF topic,Twirl, came out today, a few things came to mind: the new Geico ad with the zip-line-riding pig holding his pinwheels; the beautiful swirling garden art my brother-in-law gave me a couple Christmases ago; my first illustrations of ©Little Blaze Berner  doing her hip-hop twirling dance.

But the strongest image I had was of maple seeds. They have many nicknames such as hellee-copters, propellers, Pinocchio noses and, my favorite, whirlygigs.

I’m not sure if anyone else refers to them as whirlygigs, but in my mind, that’s what I’ve always called the seeds. And, it’s a nice, uplifting childhood memory for me: catching whirlygigs, or just scooping them off the lawn, splitting the pod and removing the seed, then sticking them on my nose.

So, here I had this warm, fuzzy memory that I wanted to illustrate, but I couldn’t think of how I wanted to illustrate it. It’s been a long, and unproductive week, so I didn’t have a lot of ambition to put much into an illustration. Colored pencil would be the nicest way, but I had just finished a colored pencil piece which left me indifferent to doing it again. Anything else would‘ve felt like work, not fun. And, let’s face it, illustrating whirlygigs should only be fun!

A young lady I’ve met recently introduced me to her graphic illustration work(check out her work at deviantart.com; don't be put off by the service's name as hers is mostly fantasy artwork). And while there is probably no way in this lifetime that I’ll ever master Photoshop-like artwork as well as she and her generation have, the thought of it intrigues me.

Then it hit me: I’d only done a couple of illustrations on the Paint program so why not try to meld my warm fuzzy with a newer way of illustration?

So this is my clumsy way of uniting a fun and modern art technique with old-fashioned, naturally-inspired fun. It’s certainly not high art, nor is it even good graphic art, but it was enjoyable doing it.

Kind of like sticking whirlygigs on your nose!